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Mr. Sandman · 05-12-2009, 01:37 PM

Braid line and graphite rods and reels with drags that can put mind boggling pressure have put a lot more stress in the system then the old glass rods with mono and reels with fairly lame drags in comparison. We finally got better hooks that hold up and the split rings failed. Now they make hd and triple rings, and non thru wired plugs broke, we buy/make thru wire plugs and the snaps break, they improved snaps and ...what's the next thing?

It seems we are trying to have no weak links in our gear, and then we "cut" the hook eye to fit a plug...seems like we are introducing a weak link. From an engineering standpoint, once you cut that hook, you have weakened the hoop-strength of the eye, integrity of the structure, and caused local deformation and now you can never be sure when it will break. Will it hold? probably...but the old mustad will probably hold as well. I bet there is a reason why VMC does not sell open eye trebles....I wonder if you asked the manufacture is it OK for fishermen to cut their hook and will they guarantee that it will not break. You know you could "cut" one of the main bridge elements as well and it will probably stay up for a while too but I wouldn't want to drive over it in a heavy vehicle.

05-12-2009, 01:37 PM	#27
Mr. Sandman Registered User iTrader: (0) Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 7,649	Braid line and graphite rods and reels with drags that can put mind boggling pressure have put a lot more stress in the system then the old glass rods with mono and reels with fairly lame drags in comparison. We finally got better hooks that hold up and the split rings failed. Now they make hd and triple rings, and non thru wired plugs broke, we buy/make thru wire plugs and the snaps break, they improved snaps and ...what's the next thing? It seems we are trying to have no weak links in our gear, and then we "cut" the hook eye to fit a plug...seems like we are introducing a weak link. From an engineering standpoint, once you cut that hook, you have weakened the hoop-strength of the eye, integrity of the structure, and caused local deformation and now you can never be sure when it will break. Will it hold? probably...but the old mustad will probably hold as well. I bet there is a reason why VMC does not sell open eye trebles....I wonder if you asked the manufacture is it OK for fishermen to cut their hook and will they guarantee that it will not break. You know you could "cut" one of the main bridge elements as well and it will probably stay up for a while too but I wouldn't want to drive over it in a heavy vehicle. Last edited by Mr. Sandman; 05-12-2009 at 01:46 PM..